Prosthetic liners deliver comfort to amputees

High-performance prosthetic liners deliver temperature control to mitigate the onset of sweat and deliver comfort to the user.

Outlast Technologies has partnered with WillowWood to bring temperature control to prosthetic liners. Building upon its extensive expertise in manufacturing prosthetic liners, WillowWood joined with Outlast to create a viable solution for a comfortable prosthetic liner. The new Alpha SmartTemp Liner works proactively to mitigate the onset of sweat and provide more comfort for the user.

Until now, all prosthetic liners have acted as insulators, holding heat from the residual limb within the liner and causing the amputee to sweat. The Alpha SmartTemp Liner blends silicone with Outlast heat management technology, enabling the liner to absorb and store heat to prevent the long-standing issue of perspiration in prostheses. Outlast technology in the Alpha SmartTemp Liner is proactive, meaning that it continuously reacts to the user’s skin temperature to help mitigate the onset of sweating. This differs from reactive solutions, such as wicking, that require the user to sweat and become uncomfortable before the technology kicks in.

The new Alpha SmartTemp Liner is perfect for active amputees, as it works to manage skin temperature and create a comfortable microclimate for the user. Designed for amputees who enjoy being active with family, work, and recreational activities, the Alpha SmartTemp Liner enables the amputee to focus on his or her activity while maintaining optimum comfort.

WillowWood performed clinical testing of the Alpha SmartTemp Liner to demonstrate its heat management capabilities. During this testing, several amputee patients reported they could wear the liner 14 hourse to 20 hours without having to remove it. While each user’s activity level, environment and personal metabolism contribute to the liner’s performance, all amputees who wore the Alpha SmartTemp Liner received noticeable benefits from the Outlast technology.

“Through our research and partnership with WillowWood, we recognized an immediate need for moisture and heat management in prosthetic liners,” said Mark Hartmann, director of research & development for Outlast. “User feedback and clinical testing of this product have already shown that the Alpha SmartTemp Liner will be revolutionary for amputees, both in comfort and performance.”

The aim of a prosthetic device is to imitate the function of the body as closely as possible; if it is uncomfortable to wear, a prosthesis loses much of its intended effect. At room temperature, the silicone in the Alpha SmartTemp Liner has a comfortable, slightly textured surface. Once the wearer puts on the Alpha SmartTemp Liner, the heat begins being absorbed from the limb, which is crucial for comfort and enables the user to perform at his or her optimum level. The Alpha SmartTemp Liner is available for transtibial and transfemoral use.